Sept 14 (Reuters) - U.S. stocks were set to open lower on Thursday, a day after closing at record highs, as shares of Apple remained under pressure and an uptick in consumer prices inflation boosted the odds of another interest rate hike this year.

A Labor Department report showed consumer price index (CPI) rose more than expected last month and the gain was the largest in seven months, lifting the year-on-year increase to 1.9 percent from 1.7 percent in July.

“I don’t think they should raise rates in December, but they will, in order to counteract any kind of slowdown in the overall economy,” said Robert Pavlik, chief market strategist at Boston Private Wealth.

The chances of a rate hike in December rose to 50.9 percent from 41.3 percent before the release of the data, according to CME Group’s FedWatch tool.

The CPI data is the last to be released before the Fed’s Sept. 19-20 policy meeting, where it is expected to outline a program to start offloading its $4.2 trillion balance sheet.